A syndrome prevalent among latinos in the united states and latin america, susto is attributed to a frightening experience that causes the soul to leave the body and results in unhappiness and sickness. It is believed that in extreme cases, susto may result in death. Symptoms include appetite disturbances, inadequate or excessive sleep, and feelings of sadness and low self-worth (anhedonia). It may be diagnosed as major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or somatoform disorder.
Susto, or “soul loss,” is a folk illness attributed to a frightening or traumatic event. It is said that the event causes the soul to leave the body and results in unhappiness and sickness (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). Other terms for this culture-bound syndrome include espanteo, pasmo, tripa ida, perida del alma, and chilbih (APA, 1994). This disorder can also be classified as a culture- specific idiom of disease and distress such that symptoms are extremely variable and may occur months or years after the supposedly precipitating event.